Apparatus for opening and closing automobile-doors.



Iv. I: "SEIIL APPARATUS FOR OPENING IND CLOSING AUTO-MOBILI: DOORS.

.AISII-IIQA'T'I-ON FILED MAY1s,1914. jl 9 L @@clb Patented Jahr.' 5, 1915.

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,APPLICATION FILED MAY 16 Patented Jan. 5,

-W. F. SEEL. APPARATUS POE OPENING ANDl OLO-SING AUTOMOBILE DOUBS. APPLIGATION FILED MAY 16, 1914. i v L 313A 5W l PatentedA Jan. 5; 1915.

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WILLIAM ir. sEnI., or. mentira, 'dominanti Arrana'rus non OENING Ann CLOSING anfroiuonILE-Dooias.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patenten aan. a, Iain.

Application led May 16, 191'4. Serial No. $39,087.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. SEEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Deliver, in the county of Denver and `State ofColorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for vOpening' and Closing Automobile-Doors, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements inl means for opening and closing vehicle doors and is particularly adapted to automobiles having a yplurality of doors to be opened and closed.

The object of the invention is to provide means located' within convenient reach of the chauffeur whereby he lcan unlock and open any desired one of a plurality of doors andthen close and lock the door without disturbing the others.

l accomplish the above and other objects which will hereinafter appear, by the mech anism illustrated in f the accompanying drawings, in which -Figure 1 is a top plan view of the skele ton or framework of an automobile body having two doors in front o f the chauffeurs seatand two doors in .the rear of said seat. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section on the line 2*?. of Figs. 1 and 3. Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 3-3 of Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation of the operating lever and a portion of the con* nected mechanism, showing said parts detached from the automobile body, and also showing the rock-shafts carried by the lever in longitudinal section. Fig. 5 is a' plan view of the parts seen from the line 5-5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the operating lever shown in Fig. 4, and Fig. 7 is a cross section on the line y7-7 of Figs. 4 and 6.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

While I have shown my invention in connection with the skeleton or framework of an automobilev adapted to carry two seats, each for two passengers, and said seats being arranged one behind the other with access to the body of the vehicle by doors on each side infront of each seat, it is obvious that my invention is applicable to other and different forms of vehicle bodies, and it will therefore be understood that the construe'` tion here shown is by way of example and for purposes of illustration only.

8 are the sills of the body having the usual pillars to which the doors are hinged and latched or locked. i

9 are the doors in front of the chaueurs seat and 10 the doors at the rear of Said seat.- The front edges of the doors are connected byahinges 11 with the corresponding front pillar. rlhe top hinge for each door' has an extension to which a horizontal link 12, (see Fig. 5), -is pivoted at a suitable distance from the pintle of hinge l1 to secure adequate leverage or crank action to swing the door by force applied through said link 12. This force is applied to the link 12 by a' crank 13 on the upper end of a rock shaft 14. rll`he rocks'haft 14 is mounted in journals 15l secured to the pillar to which the door is hinged. The lower end of roekshaft 1 4 terminates with a crank 16 which is connected with the end of `a horizontal shaft l? extending longitudinally of the ve hicle body close to a side sill ofthe latter. 'lhe rock-shafts 14 of both of the front and rear doors on the same side of the body are connected through cranks 16 at their'lower ends with separate horizontal shafts 17 and 18. rlhe major portions of'shafts 17 and 18 are slidingly mounted within a hollow shaft 19 to which an endwise reciprocating movement is imparted by means hereinafter to be described.

The doors 9 and 10 have their rear edges latched or locked'to corresponding rear pillars of the vehicle body by means of latchbolts 20 which are pivoted to levers 21 havin spring connections 22 on the opposite si e of the latch-bolt 20 from the pivot of the lever to hold the lever normally in locking position of its latch-bolt 20. The up# ward extension of lever 21 has the usual knob 22 for hand movement of the lever for unlocking the door, but the movement of lever 21 to draw the bolt 2O and unlock i the door is accomplished by a push-bar 23 push-bar 23 the `lever 21 is moved to cornpress spring 22 and withdraw the latch-bar 20. This initial unlatching operation is secured, before the action of the rock-shaft 14 be ins to open the door, by providing a suitab ev longitudinal slot 25 inthe link 12 to l receive theeiid of the crank 13. By reason of the slot the rock-shaft 14 can roclrfar enough to cause the latch to be withdrawn before the further rocking of shaft 14 begins to open the door.

l A hand-lever 26 is here 'shown as pivoted a`tl27 to the'front seat-frame, in a'space parini-55j' titioned off between the two occupants of the front seat.

A rock-shaft 28 is mounted transversely'of the vehicle body, under the front` seat. This .shaft has a downwardly extended arm 29, which is"connected` by a connecting-bar 30 with the lower end of the v hand-lever 26. Each, end. of the rock-shaft 28 terminates'with a crank 31, vand each crank 31 is connected by a pitman ,32 with the corresponding hollow shaft 19 on that side of "the vehicle-'body where the crank 31 in question is located. It was/not heretofore stated but will be now, that doors 9 and 10 on both sides ofthe vehicle-body will be provided with the same latching and opening and closing mechanism as heretofore describedand consequently there will be a hol# vlow shaft 19 on each side of the vehicle-V .'body, extending longitudinally lof the latter and consequently there will be a hollow shaft 19 adjacent to each crank 13 on the two ends of the' rock-shaft 28.

mechanism thus far described it will be4 By the I byroclring arms carried by the hollow shaft 19 whereby the longitudinal movement of shaft 19 may be imparted to 4'either of the shafts 17 or 18. The rocking arm 34, which is adapted to engage the'notch 33 in shaft 18, is the end of a rock-shaft 35 bent at right angles. p' The shaft 35 is mounted i`n bearings 36 supported on the hollow .shaft 19,. The shaft 35 has its other end bent to form an arm 37 through which the power to vrock the shaft is transmitted. The shaft 19 lalso supports, a bearing 38 for a much shorter rock-shaft the projecting end ofwhich is bent at right angles'to form the armi39 which serves the double purpose of entering the notch 33 in shaft 17 and also forms the arm through which the power to rock the short rock-shaft is transmitted to the latter. y

The twoc doors for both sides of the vehicle body are provided with the same equipment, and I will now describe.v the mechanism by which the arms 37 and 39 may be separately and swingingly moved at the hand-lever 26 to singly open or close any one of the four doors 9, 9, 10, 10. Supported by lateral extensions from hand-lever 26 and extending longitudinally of said hand-lever is a shaft 40, on the lower end of which is'an arm 41 which lis connected with the arm 39 by a rod 42, and secured to the opposite 'upper end of shaft 40 is a lateral finger-bar .swinging of hand-lever 26, the arm 39 is brought into -register with notch 33. A connection is `thus established'with the rockshaft 14, whereby the rear door 10 will be unlatched and opened by lowering the handlever 26 and closed and locked by moving the hand-lever in the reverse direction. Mounted on the rock-shaft 40 is a hollow rock-shaft 44 on the lower end of which is an arm 45 and-on the upper end of which is a finger-bar 46. The arm 45 is connected up by rod -42 with the arm 47 which completes the mechanism for bringing the front dooroperating devices into play. Mounted on the hollow shaft 44 is a second hollow shaftl 46 which has a lower arm 47 connected by a rodl 42 with the arm 39 on the opposite side of the vehicle body, and this shaft 46 has a finger-bar 48 at its upper end for the same' purpose as has been described in connection with the previously mentioned finger-bars. Mounted on the shaft 46 is a hollow shaft 49 which has an arm 50 ab its lower end connected by rod 42 with the arm 37 on the other side of the machine, and at the upper end of the shaft 49 is a fingerbar 5l for the 'purpose of manipulating said shaft 49 in the manner as described for the other finger-bars.

From what hasthus been said it is obvious that means is here provided for enabling the unlatching, opening, closing and latching mechanism for any one of the four doors to be separately operated at the will of the chauffeur by the control of the mechanism attached to the hand-lever 26. Vhen the arms 34 and 39 are rocked toward their respective notched shafts18 and 17, a resilient Contact such as is necessary to prevent in jury to the mechanism is secured by providing stop-lugs 52 on the rods 42 and springs 53 between said lugs 52 and therespective arms 37 and 39. The outer ends of the arms 42 are screw-threaded to receive nuts 54 by meansof which the tension of the springs is regulated. This secures a yielding Contact of the arms 34 and 39 with their notched shafts causing said arms to enter notch 33 when brought into register with the latter by the travel of the hollow shaft 19. The respective arms 41, 45, 47 and 50 are held normally against stops 55 and 56\ "rigs 57 (see Figs. 6 and 7). The tube' 19 carr'yaisance ing parte @fiend 35 -:is reciproeated by the rocleshaft 28. The rods 17 and 18 are norl mally free to slide in the tube, the springs 57 operatingfto keep the arms 34 and 39 out of the recesses 33. When the finger-bars are operated, the arms 34 and 39 are moved into the recesses 33 and connect rods 17 andlS to .the tube 19 so that the doors may be swung. By swinging the desired one of the nger-bars to the limit of its movement and simultaneously moving the lever 26, all of the doors being previously' closed and latched, Will unla'tch and open that one of the doors which is connected with the fingerbar just manipulated with the movement of the lever 26. One or more of the doors can be controlled as abovel described by swinging a corresponding one vor more of the fingerbars, coincident with thev corresponding movement of the lever 26.

As the operation ofl the mechanism has been described in connectionwith Athe detailed construction of same a further description of its operation is unnecessary.

While I have described my invention with more or less minuteness as regards details ofconstruction and arrangement and as being embodied in certain precise forms, I donut desire to be limited thereto unduly or any more than is pointed out in the claims. @n the contrary, I contemplate all proper changes in form, construction, and arrangement, the omission'of immaterial elements, and the substitution of equivalents, as circumstances may suggest or necessity render expedient.

I claim: i

1. In a vehicle, a hinged door, a rocksha-ft having a crank-end, means connecting the crank with the door the connection with the door being remote from the axis of the door-hinge, a second rock-shaft,`means for connecting and disconnecting the latter to said first rock-shaft to rock the 'rst shaft when connected, means comprising a handlever for rockingthe second shaft and means to .connect the hand-lever with said last means.

2. In avehicle, hinged door, a-substan-- f tially vertical rock-shaft having a crankend, means connecting said crank with the door the connection being remote from the axis of the door-hinge, a second substantially horizontal rock-shaft', means for connecting and disconnecting the second rock-shaft to the first one to rock the first one when con-- nected, means comprising a hinged lever for rocking the second shaft, and means comprising a finger-bar pivoted to the handlcver to connect the lever with said last means.

3. In a. vehicle, a hinged door, a tube, a shaft carried by `the tube, `said shaft having an arm, means comprising a rod to swing the door, said `rod being normally free to slide comprising a rock-shaft to slide the tube on the rod, means comprising a hand-lever for rocking the last namedshafu and` means comprising a finger-bar on the hand-lever to move the arm on the shaft carried by the tube into the recess of the rod to connect 'the rod and tube.

5,. In a vehicle, a hinged` door, a rockshaft having' a cranked end, mean-s connecting the crank and door, the connection with the door being remote from the axis of the pintle of the doorehinge, -means for rocking the shaft, a lock to hold the door closed, means operated by the initial movement of the rock-shaft for unlocking the door before thev further movement of the rock-shaft actuates the means for moving the door on its hinges, a second rock-shaft, means for connecting and dlsconnectlng the two rockshafts to rock the first one when connected,

and means comprising a hand-lever for rocking the second shaft.

6. In a vehicle, a hinged door, a rock-shaft having a cranked end, a link pivoted atene end to the door remote from the aXis of the pintleof the door-hinge, said link having a longitudinal slot in its other end through which the bent end of the crank on the rockshaft passes, a lockte hold the door closed, and means operated by the initial movement of rock-shaft during the travel of its end in said slot of the link for unlocking the door bef-ore the further movement'of the rock-- shaft moves the link to swing the door on its hinges, a second rock-shaft, means for connecting and disconnecting the two rockshafts to rock the first one when connected. and means comprising a hand-lever for rocking the second shaft. 7. In a vehicle, a hinged door, a rockshaft having a cranked end, means connecting the crank and door. the connection with the door being remote from the axis of the pintle of the door-hinge, means for rocking `the shaft, a. finger-extension on the rockshaft, a spring-lock to hold the door closed. and means comprising a push-bar contacted by the finger on the rock-shaft at the initial movement of the rock-shaft for releas ing the lock to unlock the door before the- 811111 a which, a plurality of hinged doors, means for separately swinging the r doors on their hinges, comprising a handlever, a plurality' of independent fingerbars, Ione for each door, carried by said hand-lever, and means actuated' by the individual movement of a finger-bar for connecting the hand-lever with the door-opening means of ,a door corresponding with the finger-bar which has been moved.

9. In a vehicle, a plurality of hinged doors, means for separately swinging the doors on theirhinges, locks to hold the doors closed, a` hand-lever, a plurality of independent finger-bars, one for each. door, carried by the hand-lever, means actuated by 'the' individual movement of a finger-bar forconnectingthe hand-lever with the dooropening means of a door corresponding with the finger-bar which has been moved, and means operated bythe initial movement of Ithe hand-lever for unlocking the vdoor to' be moved beforev the further movement of Athe hand-lever Jactuatessaid door-moving means.

lO. Ina vehicle, a plurality of hinged doors, a rock-shaft for each door having .l a cranked "end, means connecting each door with its roc'kshaft, said connection with the door being l'remote from the axis ofthe pintle of the hinge of that door,l means to rocksaid rock shaft comprising a hand-lerock-shafts having cranks, a horizontal hollow shaft, shafts connected with the crank of each rock-shaft and slidingly mouted in said hollow shaft and having Inotches, a

i swinging arm for each notched shaft, said swinging arms being4 carried by said hollow shaft, a` hand-lever, a finger-bar for each door carriedby said lever, and means ac tuated by the movement of a finger-bur for moving a corresponding one of said swinging arms into the notch of its notched shaft to thereby connect the hand-lever with the 5 door-moving mechanism'corresponding with the fingerbar that was-moved.

y In witnessIv whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Denver, Colorado, this May, A. D. one thousand nine hundred and fourteen.

- WILLIAM F. SEEL. [Ls] Witnesses:

E. LEE 'YAGER, H. J. HICKS. 

